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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Anyone heard of the Great Loop?

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/30/2003 : 09:27:52

Hi All,

There was an article in the most recent edition of Sail about three guys in an O'day 25 taking their boat down the Tombigbee River to the Gulf of Mexico and on to Florida. They mentioned the possibility of doing the "Great Loop" in a sailboat. Has anyone heard of this, and even better, has anyone done this? I thought it was very interesting, but am skepticle of being able to do it in a sailboat. Granted, a huge portion of it would have to be with the sails down, being in rivers and all, but it'd be a great way to see the country. More information can be seen at wwww.greatloop.com.

Anyway...Thanks.

Ben
Beneteau 361
Viking Kitty
Columbus, Ohio

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frankr
Captain

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256 Posts

Response Posted - 11/30/2003 : 10:20:21

Ron & Eva Stob wrote "Honey, Let's Get a Boat" - talks all about doing the loop, what's there, places to see and do. good read. Due to clearances you can't really sail a lot of it.

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2984 Posts

Response Posted - 11/30/2003 : 10:29:38

River travel has captured the imagination of many... The C25 has proven to be a good platform for it... see the story of Jabberwocky and the family of four on this sites cruising section.

They departed Hessel, Upper Peninsula, Mi. on the North Shore of Lake Huron, on Labor Day in '94 and completed a large loop down interior rivers , around Florida, up the East Coast, through the St. Lawrence Seaway and arriving Blind River, Ontario on the North Shore of the North Channel 10 months later.

We crossed paths with Jabberwocky this summer while traversing the swing bridge at Little Current, North Channel, Ontario...

http://www.catalina25-250.org/cruising/Odyssey%20Intro%20Letter.htm

Edited by - Arlyn Stewart on 11/30/2003 10:33:05

John V.
Admiral

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USA
559 Posts

Response Posted - 11/30/2003 : 16:30:30

I had two opportunities to dock next to mike Hetzman and Jabberwocki this past summer. We had a great time trading stories and comparing various improvements made to our 25s.I tried to find you Arlyn but I guess we were in different parts of the North Channel at the same time.
The great Circle is one journey that I have a real deep desire to take on someday. I hope to do it within the next ten years.

Arlyn, my summer cruise will be cronicled in Mainsheet this February. I think, rather than trying to catch others on the fly we ought to organize a C25 rendezvous.

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2984 Posts

Response Posted - 11/30/2003 : 17:46:34

Good idea John. Jerry Hardin who resurected a sunken C25 suggested that he may include the North Channel in his plans this summer. I've met some of the Trailer Sailor group that Jack Metzel and others have cruised with in the past and they are a great bunch.

I think that group has identified the last two weeks of July for their cruise though I see that in fact they had two groups cruise this past summer, one group doing so after the other.

I usually have a family reunion in middle August that serves as the end of my time. Our plans are not advanced other than plans to again cruise there.

Looking forward to your story...

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John V.
Admiral

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USA
559 Posts

Response Posted - 11/30/2003 : 18:54:07

Hey Arlyn
I'm there from the end of June til mid August. Late July would be great all we need to do is agree on a rendezvous point and a date. we could plan several days of cruising in fleet. The main thing is to find out where the Great Lakes Cruising club is going to be. They will take every transient slip at a marina the weekend they are in so we would want to avoid that part of the NC. That is a lot of stinkpots and they will be in every anchorage within miles. We could meet in Blind river and sail short hops to Bear Drop, John Harbor, Oak harbor Maybe to Kagawong. The Trailer sailors could launch at blind river and could enjoy a great marina before setting out there is a nice steep ramp there and free trailer parking. another option would be to launch at Thessalon and sail the west end though it tends to be a bit crowded on the weekends.

lets give it some thought. and any one here who might like to join the discussion would be welcome. you know Arlyn perhaps we should start a NC rendezvous thread and see how many skippers would be interested in participating

Edited by - on

Doug G.
1st Mate

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USA
49 Posts

Response Posted - 11/30/2003 : 20:51:29

What timing. The December issue of Sail magazine has an article on the Tenn-Tom route written by Randy Parker. He made the trip in an O'Day 25.

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 11/30/2003 : 23:55:30

I made 1/2 of the great loop backwards (Milwaukee to the Bahamas) in my previous boat (power). It's all on line at www.indiscipline.org or you can read my book (I'll send it just for the asking).

Did not do the Tenn-Tom waterway, but did nearly everything else.

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